Singapore Air Pollution Hits Record

SINGAPORE–Smog in Singapore worsened to a record “hazardous” level Thursday, as smoke from fires in neighboring Indonesia billowed into the island state’s worst-ever air-pollution crisis.

According to Singapore’s National Environment Agency, the city’s three-hour Pollutant Standards Index rose to an all-time high of 371 at 1 p.m. local time (0500 GMT) Thursday, surpassing the official “hazardous” designation of 301 or higher. The index had shown readings between 137 and 299 from 6 a.m. to midday, indicating “unhealthy” and “very unhealthy” conditions.

In the PSI system, a measure of air-quality developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, readings within the 51 to 100 range indicate “moderate” air quality, while the range of 101 to 200 points to “unhealthy” conditions. Measurements between 201 and 300 represent “very unhealthy” conditions, while readings above 300 indicate a “hazardous” situation.

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A tourist poses for a photo in front of the hazy outline of Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands resort.

The latest reading topped the previous record of 321, logged late Wednesday evening. It also surpassed the peak reading of 226 reached in September 1997, during one of Southeast Asia’s worst stretches of air pollution. At that time, haze blanketed Singapore and Malaysia for weeks and even stretched into southern Thailand.

Singapore and neighboring Malaysia have been choked by smoke from fires burning in forests, mostly to clear agricultural land, on Indonesia’s Sumatra Island since the weekend. Officials in all three countries have issued repeated health warnings in recent days, advising residents to cut back on outdoor activities and to drink more water.

“This is now the worst haze that Singapore has ever faced,” Singaporean Environment Minister Vivian Balakrishnan wrote on his Facebook page early Thursday. “And no country or corporation has the right to pollute the air at the expense of Singaporeans’ health and wellbeing.”

“We need urgent and definitive action by Indonesia to tackle the problem at source. Singaporeans have lost patience, and are understandably angry, distressed and concerned,” Mr. Balakrishnan wrote.

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Indonesia Real Time provides analysis and insight into the region, which includes Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei. Contact the editors at SEAsia@wsj.com.

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